Smile
by booklovingwaterdrop
Summary: Mai and Noll are working together in SPR one evening when the door opens with a bang and a young women enters with a desperate look on her face. It is the beginning of a new adventure for them, and every one around them.
1. Chapter 1

Oliver was thinking of calling for Mai. He really wanted to drink his tea, but Mai had to get ready for her final exams at the college she was attending to get a diploma in psychology. And she was reading every possible book and scientific report she could get her hands on wherever possible which meant the Office was actually her domain right now.

And she would get offended when people disturbed her studying, poor Bou-san and Yasuhara could tell the tale if you were asking, but Noll did not need it for he was a witness two days ago when Mai almost cracked Yasuhara's head with a tea cup he was hoping to drink. Shame on them, he really wanted to drink that tea, too.

She was always so kind to the customers but once they left would shove him to his Office and tell him off for considering disturbing her studies. Honestly she was much worse than Oliver, but that cute face of hers would hide the fact.

Sometimes Oliver would not close the door and stare at her while she was reading. She was always a sight whatever she was doing but seeing her reading was always something else. Oliver was a man who would held books with utmost care and considers the path to the knowledge as sacred. So seeing her on that way was so alluring…

But he would always force himself to shut the door quietly and continue to work on whatever he was doing. Only to remind himself of something Mai would do and lose himself on the thoughts about Mai again. He couldn't help but sigh…

Mai would get that look on her eyes when she was studying hard. Her cinnamon eyes would change the colour and get molten chocolates with golden specks in them.

When he first met Mai, she was just a girl he could not get wrapped around the finger which was a plus point near her name. It made him actually consider her working for him and Lin because she would not gush like every other girl he knew.

She was ordinary in everything she was doing. She had average hair, average looks, average voice and manners.

But with the years flowing like a hard wind, it was almost six years since they met, he would say –well think, then he would never say such nice things to her face anyway- she was nothing ordinary.

She was like earth, everybody would need her- he would need her-, she would ground them, let them be happy, be strong, be themselves without forcing them to do so. She was the air he needed but…

As always his thoughts about Mai ended with memories about her confession and his response. He was so awful. He cringed again, even after years and years later, Mai would hold a simple but noticeable distance between them. He was so stupid for not acting sooner and losing her.

He noticed his feelings in England when he was forced to be without her. At first he thought he would call her name just out of habit when he needed tea. But then began the dreams about her. She would just sit there sometimes and look at him with sorrowful eyes. Sometimes even tears and he would feel terrible, he would feel a pain in his chest and his eyes would sting with tears too.

He would wake up and sit for hours in the darkness of the library or on the window seat in his room and look at the moon. It was so un-like Noll that his mother was seriously disturbed at her son's behaviour and called Madoka and Lin to her and asked them what was wrong with him.

He could just see the scene before his eyes, Madoka with twinkling eyes full of mischief and Lin looking seriously disturbed he was asked such nonsensical things.

But he was grateful, then as a result of those meetings he was now able to see his Mai every day, even when she was not his in that sense of the Word. He was happy that he could witness her happy laughs. He was happy with rescuing her when the need arose. And he was happy to see a slight blush in her face –even after years- when she was facing him, when he was touching her hand or shoulder to make sure she was alright, when she was waiting in his hospital room and waiting for him to wake up without knowing he was awake and watching her.

He was doing it again; really, he should be doing paperwork right now and not thinking about his wonderful Mai. He sighed again and tried to concentrate. It was hard without tea but he would do it if really- and I mean really- needed.

He jerked up when the door opened and the only girl in his dreams appeared with a tea cup and cookies.

"Naru" she called and stepped in the room. "You are working far too much. Look at your eyes, they are really red, you need a break sometimes. Why won't you call for me, I mean for tea if you are so tired?"

Noll was speechless for a moment, she would not gain other powers, would she? How would she be able to tell what he was feeling, if not? If yes, it would be dangerous for them all but especially for him, Mai was thinking empathically enough for at least two persons. She would discover his feelings and be disgusted and resign and he would never… Before his mind could go on the possibilities Mai was speaking again.

" Naru, it is eight and you didn't come out of your room for hours now, I know you need to work, but you should eat something. How are you able to work without a breather between the files?"

"My mind is different than yours Mai. I can work without needing much fanfare."

"You jerk", oh she was so predictable, he so loved to tease her. "I was just-" before she could say anything he spoke again,

"I knew you were studying Mai, I wanted to give you the time. We had already two customers coming in today and Bou-san and Ayako and Yasuhara. They stole enough of your time."

She was blushing again, so he was being considerate of her. She fell silent and looked at him. The silence was something Mai would only stumble upon when she was thinking hard, and Noll looked up to see her eyes but blushed momentarily, then she was looking straight at him. Her eyes were really beautiful he thought, but he masked it with a slight rise of his eyebrow.

She blushed harder when she noticed him looking at her with questions in his eyes.

He was a beautiful man. His eyes, his hair, his hands… He was so different from Gene even when they had the same body years ago. Well, Gene could not get older and you could see now the difference between the brothers. Gene's eyes was more like blue-grey whereas Naru's eyes had a ton near violet, it was a unique colour. They were just like him, his eyes could look so cold, so warm, so inviting and so dangerous sometimes and she wanted to lose herself in them.

When her thought touched this subject, she stepped back. It was dangerous. He could get condescending again, he would reject her again, he would break her again. She took a step back again. She could do it, she was doing it for years now, the distance was needed for her sanity. Never again, she would not lose herself again. Never loosen up her ties around her heart.

She allowed a fake smile grace her face without noticing the odd look in Naru's face.

"Oh, I am going back then and leave you to do your work. Is it ok if I would leave at nine? I need to check something at the library. It is open 24/7 but on the way back home it gets sometimes really dark and scary."

She knew he could tell that she was nervous.

He nodded.

"İf you fulfil your duties, you can go."

She smiled a real smile this time and he relaxed too. He hated it when she was anxious while speaking with him and he hated the fact that he himself put hat fear in her with his impossible manners.

The door closed and Mai retreated to the main room. He could hear her sitting at her desk and moving books and notebooks and opening her laptop.

The smell of her tea was overwhelming. It calmed him down. It reminded him of days spent with Gene and his parents outdoors. Of days spent with laughter, with joy. It reminded him of Mai. He took a sip and swallowed it down and allowed himself to smile.

He would ask Mai to allow him to escort her to home, so she wouldn't get scared. And maybe drink a tea somewhere outside the Office? It could be considered cold and Mai would maybe allow him to take her to that small cafe near the Library that prepared good tea even if Mai's was loads better.

It was a thought that cheered him up, and with a smile in his face he could at least focus in his work.

Noll looked up to see the watch showing 8.50.

He began to close up the dossier he was working on and closing his laptop. He stretched and moved his hair with his hands. He was afraid to look at the mirror sometimes. Gene loved to surprise him even being dead wouldn't stop him. Yes, he was still around, that he was buried didn't mattered obviously, he needed to write another book and share this knowledge with the academia. Sure as hell, Gene would always know when something was up and question him thoroughly.

Today he was feeling especially jittery and he was sure when he looked to the mirror he would see a face younger then himself and feel the guilt again. He knew that he should have been with Gene when he was visiting Japan about the damn Shinto exorcisms.

He couldn't help but feel guilty and Gene always complained about it and would press his hand to the mirror and Noll would respond mirroring him.

His hand was now bigger than Gene's, he even had facial hair but Gene was still his older brother. The one who gave long speeches about working hours, about love matters, about anything that mattered. He even scolded Noll when he saw it necessary. It was almost like old times when he was alive.

The first time he appeared on the mirror, Noll flinched and thought he was seeing hallucinations. But Gene smiled but then sneered at him, like he was remembering something Noll had done really bad. And scolded him so thoroughly like never before.

It was about Mai of course.

After that night his dreams began. And a pair of months later he found himself at the office in Japan again. But he could not gain the courage to talk to Mai about his feelings, not with the distance building every time when they were alone. Not with Mai flinching when he came near. Not when he spotted Mai tearing up while dreaming and muttering his name and crying quietly.

He was swimming in guilt.

He did not deserve someone like Mai. She just needed to forget about him, even when he could not forget her. He loved to work with her, he loved to see her eyes light up when they were able to solve a case and help others. He loved to see her compassionate behaviour around children and could not help but dream sometimes about kids looking like him sitting on her lap.

It was so good.

Too good to be true.

He was too late.

And it was his fault again.

He sighed and looked at his watch again. It was nearly nine and Mai was surely about to call a night and leave.

He grabbed his tea cup and grabbed his coat and walked to his door. Mai was still at her table and writing some notes on her laptop. She was working with a speed worthy of Lin, lost on the pages about child psychology.

He knew it sometimes haunted her, reading about those files on children without parents. She, with her abilities bordering on being an empath, would get nightmares about it. She would never tell them anything about them, but it helped sometimes to have a dead twin with a spiritual link to the women you loved. You could always keep the tabs on her.

He needed to bribe Gene so he could be aware of it, but it was worth.

On those days Noll wouldn't give Mai much to work on and leave little things on her table he knew that could cheer her up. Like little chocolates or silly manga books or ribbons with ghosts to braid her hair.

Her long hair was always braided now. Like it would symbolise her distance and discipline and being a grown up. He missed her loose hair. It was always so untameable, so like his Mai. But he guessed it was his fault again, then it was that way since he came back from England.

He quietly walked to her and touched her shoulder only to see Mai flinch which again made him flinch.

"Naru!" she called loudly. "You scared me. Since when are you standing there? I was so caught up in work and -"

"İt is ok Mai." He smiled a little and showed her the time.

"I thought you wanted to visit the library? I am leaving know and I also need to look something at the library. So I thought.."

"Yes?" She didn't want to hope and be wrong again. But did he really want to spend time with her outside of the office hours?

"So I thought I could give you a ride?"

"Oh, really? I mean, yes of course. I would be happy."

Noll's smile widened and Mai seemed to catch it then she blushed. Maybe he was not too late and Gene was right? Could he really hope?

"Ok then. Let's get the office cleaned up a little and then we can leave."

They both worked silently, he cleaned in the main room while Mai cleaned the kitchen and leave it ready for the following day.

"Naru! Remind me to buy some cookies again, won't you? With you forgetting to eat and me living at the office we seem to need the supplies for it."

He sighed, but could not help but agree. Mai seemed to copy his office hours and they were always at the office. They just needed some room to sleep in and move in the office. Don't go there, he thought. Not yet, maybe some time later, after they were boyfriend and girlfriend. But not yet.

"If you think so." He said loudly.

Just when Mai came around the corner and was about to say something to him, the main door opened loudly, banging at the wall and there stand a young woman with a sleeping kid in her arms. She looked so desperate that Mai's attention fell immediately on her and forgotten was what she wanted to tell Naru.

Damn her compassionate side. There goes his pseudo date with Mai.

It was obviously an evening of loud sighs.


	2. Chapter 2

She looks so tired, Mai thought.

She laid the sleeping kid on the couch and sat down and let a loud sigh. Her black eyes glanced at the interior design of the office, and it was plain that she was somewhat surprised at the professional flair of the office.

When she began to work at SPR, Mai always thought that it was Naru who decided on the design but learned later that all offices at the BSPR looked the same way. Lin showed her pictures of Madoka and himself at the London Offices after their Engagement Party one lazy afternoon and while drinking Chinese tea they discussed several things concerning everything and nothing really. Mai was surprised and very happy that Lin seemed to open up a little and done everything to please Lin that day. And one could say that it paid nicely.

She and Lin had a nice and collegial relationship now and Lin seemed to forget that he once hated Japanese people and considering he was married to one, it was not really surprising but he made sure that Mai knew it and Mai felt happy he cared enough to care about her feelings.

She still felt very strongly about the SPR Regulars and considered them as a family. And Lin with Madoka were a important part of that family. He was an uncle that did not and would not leave her alone like her own did after her parents died and she had to go to a teacher because she could not afford her living expenses.

She never again called her so called family and replaced them with her chosen SPR family. There was no way she could leave them, it was one of the important reasons why she was still at the office working for Naru after everything she had to go when he rejected her.

Anyway, according to Lin, all the offices of SPR had to look very professional in a serious way, which according to Mai was slightly depressing, because they had to deal with seriously disturbed people be it disturbed about spirits haunting them or psychological problems. But she thought people that came to them needed comfort, they needed to be reminded of the fact that they were not alone, that they would find help here.

So, she had to find a way to maintain the main offices serious design bur add her little touches to make it more personal. Naru would surely not consider to buy anything – not that she know of anyway- and she had to be careful about money. It was pure luck that school decided to try knew art classes and she learned how to draw. She began with little to no experience whatsoever and ended with weekends in museums. She loved to draw, she loved to look at drawings drawn about artists desires, pains, loves, tears and lives. She discovered similarities between herself and long dead artists from all over the world. She discovered that she could tell everything with colours and tell nothing at all at the same time.

She could draw and the world would stop to spin and the pain she felt would get easier to deal with. It really helped. She cried less and would sleep better. She started to dress more lively, wear coloured clothes again, she left the depressed state she was in. Art helped her to be herself gain and she used it to make the office something unique. Nobody should feel the helplessness she felt when Naru left her alone. Nobody should be so broken that they felt the need to close themselves up and not talk to people they considered family. Nobody should feel the need to lie to their family.

So she bought colours and draw herself in the drawing. She made little pillows for the couches, she bought coloured tea cups, she used stickers on the doors and brought the outdoors indoors to the office. Naru had not noticed it at the beginning but even when the change showed up at his door, he let Mai do everything she wanted.

He had already decided that she was his sunshine, not that she knew of the little fact, and the sun shone and lighten up the darkness like Mai was doing it to Noll's world. His life of darkness and black and grey changed slowly to lively colour that even his Mother could not help but be surprised at.

There were drawing at the walls that reminded of the ocean, of the serene and wise trees, of beautiful memories. So it was no wonder that the young woman stared at the professional décor and the beautiful drawings at the walls.

It gave Mai and Noll the chance to observe her a little closely. She was obviously very young and beautiful with her black hair cascading down and her black eyes, even when she was very tired and spent up.

There is something wrong. Mai couldn't help but think that way even when she could not see anything wrong from observing her. She seemed a young lady with a little kid. But she was aware of the fact that her instincts were whispering her not to be very trusting. There was something dangerous about her, something ruthless, something not so very desperate as she appeared.

Noll felt how Mai's behaviour changed slowly and she hold herself a little back. He guessed her instincts were at work again and decided to be cautious. It could be anything she wanted; maybe they could even go to that pseudo-date near the library after they dealt with her problems?

The kid at the couch slept soundly, they couldn't see if it was a boy or a girl. But the kid looked like it was three or four years old. Not many parents would bring their children to the office even if they had to deal with paranormal problems. So Noll assumed whatever problem she had, had to be about the kid. But he would be silent and wait for Mai to deal with her at the beginning. She was at her element when there were people and feelings and whatnot to deal with and he was a very intelligent being and knew when to be silent.

Mai sat down at the other couch facing the young woman and began to whisper to her seemingly already affecting the young woman and calming her down. So Noll decided to go to the kitchen and prepare the tea. He set the kettle with enough water on the stove and looked for the tea leaves. Mai never brought him tea from the cheap tea bags, she always said the tea leaves had reminded her of her mom making tea for her father once, so he always made sure there was enough budget for Mai to buy any kind of leaves she wanted. It was win-win situation, really.

But he certainly did not expect to find a whole cupboard of neatly labelled boxes. She had a whole tea store there! He opened another cabinet and found the colourful tea cups. While he was amazed at the condition of the cupboards, the kettle had begun to boil and he prepared the jasmine tea to assist Mai by calming down the woman whose name he still did not know.

When he came in to the main room he saw a still scene. The kid slept, the woman was still and observing one of the paintings Mai draw for the office and Mai was at her desk and holding a blue notebook and a pen in her hands.

He smiled at her stunned face when she noticed the tea and nodded to the couches. She hurried and took the tray from him and offered one of the cups to the woman. She and Noll took a cup too and sat side by side at the other couch.

When Noll coughed to gain her attention the woman flinched a little and faced them. She looked afraid now, and Mai could tell that it was very real this time. Whatever happened to her scared her and she didn't know what to do.

"I am very sorry for the way I am behaving but I don't know what to do… Please, you have to help me! I,I went to every one of them, the other offices dealing with paranormal, and none of them could help me! "

"Miss, please calm down a little, and state your name first. Then you can tell us what your problem is." Naru was the calmness himself and it affected her immediately. She inhaled a loud breath and began again.

"My name is Chiori Akasa. I am 25 years old and work as a mannequin for a foreign but well known clothing line. "

Mai thought to herself that she was a real beauty. So she was not surprised to see that she modelled.

She could even rival Naru, well maybe.

But after she calmed down, the ruthlessness she felt shortly before returned, albeit barely concrete. And it made her shiver. She smile encouragingly, but it was a fake smile and by the way Naru had stilled, she noticed he was watching her closely. She could not help but faintly blush when he smiled her a little and faced Chiori again.

Chiori also seemed to notice the little affair and grazed them with a disgusted look, masked rapidly.

But they had seen it. Mai sat a little closer to Naru and he touched her tight lightly to calm her. Beautiful women like Chiori were not accustomed to being paid no attention and Naru was a handsome fellow. It was clear that as soon as she calmed down she had set her sight on Naru and hoped to gain his attention.

" I had a little family left over until last month. My parents died three years ago and I was living with my sister, her husband and her daughter. We were a little family; they were both doctors and had to work really long hours. But they always had time for my niece and me. I could not wish for a better surrogate parents than them."

"What happened? " Noll was getting impatient. She just had to state her business, how hard could it be? He had somewhere to be, hopefully somewhere at Mai's side this evening.

"One night, I had a spare free weekend and offered for them to babysit my niece so they could take a little holiday. Even Megumi, my niece could see that they were tired and cranky and distant. I hoped it would help them and we could be the same happy family again. My hopes rose when they accepted. They decided to go to the hot springs in Beppu. You see my sister loved the hot springs and Beppu is one of the famous ones. She really wanted to go there. They packed their suitcases and got ready for the way. Just the prospect of a holiday seemed to help."

She paused there and took a breath. And seemed to remember something then she opened her bag and searched there. After a minute or so, she smiled and hold a phote in her hands.

"Here, this is our last photo. We actually took it just before they drove up."

Mai shifted to Naru to be able to see clearly, it was a photo full of smiles. Mai could see Chiori and her sister who looked so similar to Chiori. She was beautiful too, just a little older than her. There was a handsome man at their side, his arm across Chiori's sisters shoulders, smiling at her. Oh, and a charming little child, with beautiful long black hair and green eyes. She had a yellow dress with little flowers and butterflies on her and hold to her mothers and her aunts hands. Her smile was not as bright as the others in the picture, but you could not see it if not looking for inconsistensies.

Naru remained silent, but Mai gave her the photo back and smiled politely again and told her to carry on.

"Everything was ok. We had a marvellous time with my niece, she is one og the most intelligent 3 year olds out there. We played, we ate and watch TV. Well, now looking back, I can say she was a little quite, but I gave it no real consideration. But you see, she, I mean my niece,did not want them to go. She was just a little clingy I guess.

Anyway, after a while Megumi got tired and wanted to sleep. But I could not get her to sleep in her own room, she wanted to sleep on her parents bed. I saw no real reason to refuse and she went to sleep."

Noll saw nothing wrong with the scene, and thought that something might be wrong in her mind. Everything she spoke of was pretty normal occurrences, why was she here?

"I was talking with my current boyfriend at the phone when I heard her screams. Megumi was crying and screaming and she was hysterical! She ciried for her om and dad, I thought she had just a bad dream like very child gets sometimes. But she told me that hey died. That they died because a truck struck them from the side and they had an accident at the road and they died. I tired to calm her down but she would not stop. I had to call a doctor and he gave her some sedatives. Even with the sedatives she refused to sleep on her parents bed. So we had to take her to her own room.

When the doctor went away I began to think what I would tell to my sister when she called. It was no light matter when a child gets so hysterical so one had to call a doctor. But then the phone rings and there was a voice at the other end asking for me and telling she was calling from a hospital because of an accident."

The gears in Noll's head began to work. Could it be that Megumi had psychometry like himself?

"I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it. I mean where could you see something like that? How could she know? How could she?"

Oh, Noll could believe it all right, then just the same had happened to him. Almost the same way he had to see how Gene died. He felt a comforting coolness at the back of his head, Gene was right there and trying to cheer him up. No matter where he was or what he was doing, no matter how old he was, Gene always would be his aniki, his older, wiser, smarter brother. He would always do the right thing, the only exception was him being dead at sixteen and leaving him alone for so long…

Mai's hand was suddenly on his hand so he looked at her. She was smiling at him comfortingly like she wanted to tell him that he was not alone, that he would not be alone. He had such a big family now consisting of the Davises and the SPR and even Gene was in his own way still there.

So he took a deep breath and turned his attention on Chiori again. She was scowling at them, the tender moment between them clearly not lost on her. Noll thought she was ridiculous, was she here because she had a problem or was she here because she wanted a date with himself, not that there was any chance he would go on a date with a person like her.

"I mean it is creepy, isn't it? Anyway, I hadn't any chance to dwell on it, I was busy with all the burial arrangements and memorial services so a neighbour of us took care of Megumi. On the day we buried her parents, she was holding tightly on her moms and rings on her neck. I thought it would comfort her so I bought her a necklace and put them on it and gave it to her as a remembrance. And she would not stop crying. She was not screaming anymore, but she cried non-stop. She had lost both her parents within a moment so I thought it was normal.

The day after the burial she insisted we cut her lovely hair. She had such a fairy complexion, a beauty beyond any consideration but she wanted to look like a boy. "

It was time for Mai to flinch. She remembered the time after her mothers dead, where nobody in her actual family wanted to do anything with her, nobody cared enough to be by her side. Every time she looked on a mirror, she saw her mother, her long hair, how she would caress her hair, how she would braid it. Every time she would cry. So she also decided to cut her hair. She may have looked cheery all the time but she felt genuinely sad when she saw a mother braid her daughters hair on the school gate at the last moment.

After Naru left for England, after her spectacular break down, Ayako and monk sat down with her and discussed her life. They could not help with Naru issues but it was clear on their faces that they cared for her dearly, so she could not refuse them. She cried and cried and cried and told them what she had to endure all the time living alone. How she felt every evening coming home and nobody would greet her, how she would wish her parents a good night before sleeping and still waited for an answer. How she would wake up from a night mare and cry herself silly over that fact nobody was there and would be ever there for her.

Ayako and Monk cried with her and it was exactly at that moment she saw that she loved them in a similar way she loved her parents. And they loved her like a daughter.

When they stopped crying and Ayako and Monk had one of their silly fights, they decided that she move in with Ayako and Monk would help her in financial first she did not want to but they held the love card. She would do everything to make them proud so she caved in and did exactly what they wanted. When they married two years later it was like she had a family again. The SPR was her family alright, but nobody would held the place in her heart that Ayako and Takigawa were holding.

Even when she moved to her own place six month ago, she still had her own room in their home. She felt every time welcomed with such warm feelings that no matter in which state she was she would smile. It was a nice feeling, having a place and calling that place a home.

When she seemed to disappear in the memory line, this time Noll took her hand and squeezed it. Her other hand went to her neck where you could see a necklace chain. Noll never saw what was actually on the chain but it seemed it was important for her. After another squeeze, she turned to him and smiled. It was a real smile, a light one but a real smile any way.

When Mai smiled you could see her eyes taking a slight golden colour, painted with pure happiness. Before he could lose himself in her eyes, Chiori carried on with her story, so they turned to her and continued to listen.

"But the hair cut was not the only thing different on her. She did not want any more anyone to touch her. She cried every time. She grew to be a loner. She didn't want to go to kindergarten anymore. Her teachers were also worried. We thought a psychiatrist could help her and went to a one. But nothing helped."

Noll scowled, of course it wouldn't help. How stupid could people get actually? If he was right and he was rarely not right, she had psychometry, not some mind illness. She needed a psychic instructor, not some shrink.

"When I noticed the psychiatrist only stirred more bad memories in her and didn't help her at all we stopped the sessions. But she gets creepier every day."

Every time she called her niece "creepy" Noll and Mai would get a very strong pull to strangle her. She was talking about a little girl that just lost her parents, she was grieving which her aunt did not much, as it seemed.

"She began to tell me stories about her teacher from her school. What they had done when they were young, or when they were alone with her families, what they had eaten with their families. It didn't stop at that, she would tell me what had happened at MY work. What clothes I had on, what my manager and I were doing, eating etc."

She shivered. And moved back from her sleeping niece at the couch. Mai's instincts were screaming at her. She was scared of the little child she carried in and she would do everything to get rid herself of her. She was just the people from her former family. She was not a good person no matter how nice she looked, she would be always someone way to ruthless to be considered "nice". She did not deserve her niece.

"It was at the same period I began to think her problem could be a paranormal one. So we went with her to other offices claiming to be paranormal researchers. But none could help me deal with her."

Deal with her. Mai was furious herself, bur she began to feel colder and realized with a bang Naru was getting seriously irritated by her behaviour towards the little girl. She remembered than Naru and Gene were pretty young too, when their powers surfaced and people were wary of them.

"I even thought to bring her to an orphanage, but no orphanage would take her in when they knew she had psychological problems and went to a psychiatrist. I am stuck with her."

At the words orphanage, Noll froze. No child deserved to live at an orphanage let alone a psychic one. He remembered perfectly clear how the other children would torment and torture him and his brother because they were different. Even at the orphanage he had a pretty strong PK and the twins had a link so they could speak to each other in their minds. He would be eternally thankful and indebted to Luella and Martin Davis that took them out of that hell and gave them a family again. He might not show it like Gene did but he loved them in his own way. And here was a woman, a fury he corrected himself, talking about leaving a child at some orphanage like it was nothing!

"Please, please help me to get rid of her strangeness. I am a model, people might notice there is something wrong with her and it would get back to me! My work is my life! I did everything to be at my current stage, people would murder to be at my place. And I won't be stopped just because my niece decided to get creepy after her parents passed away. I mean I also lost my parents and I don't remember to be that creepy!"

The more she spoke the more hatred they felt against her. But she seemed to notice nothing.

" I mean, you can help me, can't you? That Manami told me to come to you, he told me that you could help me."

Manami? It was that creepy old fool with the fake . But even he seemed to have good moments or he was also creeped out by that wile woman and decided for once to do the right thing and sent them to SPR.

"Stop." Noll was disturbingly calm on the outside. But he was fuming.

"The condition that your niece seem to have is called psychometry in the literature. She can get psychic readings from an object she holds in her hands or touches. She could be having post-cognitive visions or tell the current conditions of things. It is an ability she can't get rid of. She can't help but have the visions, she only may learn to control them with time."

The more Naru talked the uglier got the look on her face, Mai thought.

"So there is nothing that can be done? But I can't give her sedatives non-stop!"

"What do you mean?" Mai asked harshly. Honestly, she was just over three years old and Chiori gave her sedatives?

"She wouldn't stop! I can't deal with her, I can't leave her with babysitters because she creeps them out, she is creepy towards her teachers and fellow children, she can't get along with anyone! And you tell me now, that she can't get rid of the strange ability and would be that way her whole life! I can't deal with her!"

She began to scream along the way and disturbed the sleeping child at the couch. Mai stand up and gathered her in her arms and carried her towards Lin's office. He also had a couch there. When she had Megumi in her arms, she looked up to see Noll looking at her with an approving look. And he also stood up to glare at Chiori. How dare she?

When Mai stepped out of Lin's office, Naru was still glaring at her and she at least seemed to notice that she said too much.

"Explain yourself, Akasa-san. How exactly will you leave your niece at an orphanage for something she could not help but live with? Your niece didn't want to be a psychic. The children at the orphanage would just ate her alive because she is different."

At his harsh tone, she shrank back. But she gained enough courage to speak up.

"I also didn't beg for her you know. My sister is dead and I am way too young to care for a child let alone a psychic one as you put it in words. I don't know anything about that hocus pocus stuff you seemed to live from. I am a model, I have to have an appearance, I have to be beautiful and charming and not a pseudo-mother-a-like with a psychic child. So she will go to an orphanage. I am sure my manager can help me."

Noll just groaned at her stupidity. How can people get so ignorant again?

"Akasa-san, you would be sentencing her to a life full of torture. You surely would not do that to the daughter of your sister that took care of you when your own parents died?"

"I am telling you, I am not my sister and won't be like her, I refuse to be like her. Do you want me to die like her? How do you know that my niece didn't caused their accident with her creepy powers? I don't want to have anything to do with her! And what it is to you, you are just a stranger, why do you care so much?"

Mai was staring at the strange scene. Naru was so close to losing it. And she could fully understand why. The creepy one was Chiori and not Megumi.

It was too much for Noll, he would not send an innocent child to the hell called orphanage. He just could not. He was remembering the day Luella hugged him the first time, he remembered the warm feeling when she told them, they would be going to London with them and be a family. He remembered the joy on Gene's face, the surprised and relieved look on his own face. They were rescued but Megumi might not.

"So help me God!" he shouted in a very un-like Naru gesture. "Even I can take care of her way better than you or any orphanage. How can you call yourself an aunt and be that cruel to a child?"

With the first sentence out of Noll's mouth, Chiori's eyes gained a certain glitter, a very cruel and ruthless one.

"If you want her Shibuya-san, you can have her."

Mai and Noll looked at her with a resigned look.

"I am leaving her with you." She stated calmly. Gone was the furious woman from a minute ago and at her place stand a cold woman.

"I assure you, she won't be a financial problem. Her parents left her a certain amount. I will come tomorrow with her stuff and judicial papers needed for an adoption. I am sure you will be alright, so I am leaving you alone with the demon child."

She bowed and left the office before they could say anything at all. Noll sank on the couch and hold his head in his hands and groaned.

Mai sat quietly beside him and carefully laid her hand on his head. She caressed his soft hair. She always knew he had a soft heart, he just barely showed it to anyone. But when it mattered you could always count on Naru. He proved it again she guessed.

Meanwhile Noll thought desperately how anything could get so wrong so easily.

He just wanted a date with Mai and ended with a psychic child.

Thank you very much for the nice reviews and favs and follows! I really hope I can hold myself at a standart worthy of you :)

And I hope you also like this new chapter. I will try to write more Lindoka moments but they need to wait a little and let Mai and Noll deal with that huge change.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I REALLY DON'T OWN GHOST HUNT...

I didn't own it when I posted the other chapters, too.

Sad, isn't it?

...

Noll remembered the first time he felt the psychometric vision claim him. He guessed he was also a fairly young child then, he didn't know how old he was. He was so young that his name wasn't Noll. It was at time he would be called EC and his brother was AJ.

Honestly, he had no idea what his biological mother thought when she gave them their names. At a later point, they thought their father might be an American or British. As far as he was concerned he might even be from Denmark, it wouldn't matter.

The only thing they knew certain, that he had had blue eyes which could be later found on him and his brother. Their birth mother gave no name when she left them literally at the steps leading to the orphanage, only with a letter stating their names , a photo showing a young seemingly Japanese girl after giving birth and holding the babies in her arms and a blanket covering both of them.

So far he knew, they had been always at the orphanage. They didn't know who their parents were, why they did land in an orphanage, hell he even did not know what a parent was supposed to be. As much as he knew, there was always Gene and him, mostly alone in the halls of the orphanage or the dorm they shared with twelve other boys similarly left behind.

The children at the orphanage never liked them, even when Noll was not aware of his PK or Gene did not speak to Ghosts ( they were able to talk to each other in their minds) . They were fairly cute then, little charming children with amazing loveable smiles which would warm up the hearts of the visitors. Noll was not afraid to smile at that point, he loved to play with AJ, both had a mischievous streak and were too intelligent for playing only with some cuddle bears. They would play some pranks on the students and Gene would always laugh so uncontrollably it would warm his heart when they sat down at their secret cupboard to discuss what had happened and any future pranks.

The secret cupboard was on the last floor where the carer had some rooms when they had to stay the night over. It was their safe heaven, their secret place where they could cry and laugh and they could be themselves without any other children belittling them for their Japanese features and blue eyes. And later because Noll showed psychic powers and it made them creepier in the eyes of the other children. Noll remembered clearly a day when they made fun of Gene because he was never leaving Noll's side and he just lost it all and screamed and kicked and cried until Gene managed to calm him down and sat with him, hugging him closely to his chest and murmuring a song with words only Gene knew and only Gene sang. Gene was his rock.

Looking back, maybe it was because of the very possibility of them being adopted fairly easy even with all the strangeness surrounding them that made them repugnant for the other children.

So long they were there no would-be parent would look at the others.

So, at the visitor-days no carer could find the twins, then the other children would lock them up in some cupboards. They would threaten them to make them silent. They would always end with some kind of injury in places no carer would see, if not looking out for them purposely.

Noll always hated children because of the fact that children could be little monsters and were little monsters to him and his brother while growing up.

On one visitor-day, a child he didn't remember the name of packed him and his brother at their arms and dragged them to a cupboard again. It was exactly at that moment he felt faint and found him suddenly in a strange and unknown house.

**_He was covering behind a couch. The fumes that rose were terrible. Someone was smoking._**

**_He could feel the angst and fear to the bone, he had to be quiet or HE would find him._**

**_He whimpered quietly, still afraid of being heard. But apparently it was enough, then suddenly he heard a cruel laugh._**

**_A man laughed heartily but very cruelly and he covered more, just wished to disappear somewhere else, to be someone else, to be with someone else, anyone else._**

**_He remembered to look up and felt the hard slap against his face._**

**_The man held him at his hair and pulled him forward. "tut tut little Hiro, did you really believe you could hide from papa? "_**

Hiro, his name was Hiro. He was one of the most cruel kids out there, he would always slap him and Gene at their faces.

Even now, being twenty-three, he couldn't help but shudder a little. He then told Hiro what he had seen causing him to step back from them. The fear at Hiro's eyes would always remain in his brain. He was so utterly afraid of Noll.

He had been called many names till then but that was also the first time someone would call him "demon child". If he had been a little older, he wouldn't have reacted, but he was also a child and he remembered feeling terrible, so utterly lost in his grief that the children hating him would also fear him now, he couldn't help but cry.

He remembered how his aniki, he may be not older than half an hour than him but still he would act like he was sooo much older sometimes, hold him in his arms and cried with him, not knowing why his little brother knew such a thing about Hiro, but not one moment doubting him.

When Chiori lashed out and called Megumi a "demon child", his memories seemed to flow to that moment. He had been very lucky then, even if all the other children had been against him, he always had a brother at his side.

But Megumi could be cruelly left alone. At the mercy of other children.

He just couldn't help but step up. He just couldn't let her suffer like he had to.

.

Naru just sat at the couch holding his head in his hand and didn't move an inch staring into nothing. He was clearly lost in his memories.

I am sure if the others were here right now he would act like nothing had happened at all. He would be in his office and his door would be tightly closed.

It is his little behavioural pattern that doesn't let me give up and move on.

He acts differently around me, I still don't know everything going around in his big head, but I am sure I am one of the special ones he allows being close.

It used to be scary.

Two hours ago, I wouldn't sit at side and caress his hair slowly, in tact with his breathing. I would be weary and stepping back. Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of being treated like an idiot, afraid of being just his little airheaded assistant and not his friend or whatever I am right now.

But no matter how hesitating I am being at my heart, I can't help but be at his side. And the fact he didn't flinch when I began with my little show of care, gives me a little more hope now.

He even wanted to give me a lift and escort me to the library, choosing to show his gentlemanly side. I have a feeling he makes an effort to smile more around me, seriously, how much more handsome could that man just get?

But he looks so scared now.

Maybe that is why I am not afraid to touch him anymore.

He looks like a little kid, I wonder what he remembers making him to looks scared, so vulnerable? So much more human than he shows the world…_ Oh , Naru_…

He takes a deep breath and shudders a little and lifts his head from his hands and crouching form and sits straight. He looks at me with his intense eyes, eyes swirling with so much emotion which makes me shiver a little.

"What I am to do now Mai? I don't know a thing about children, let alone raising a little psychic girl? Hell, as far as I knew I hated children till tonight. How could I let myself to say something like that? To a customer, a woman?"

I am not used to see a Naru full of insecurities. But I won't let him to be insecure about something I was proud be a witness of.

"Stop it Naru, I am proud of you for standing up to that cow! You are a psychic and I am a one, too. She just sat there and insulted both of us along with almost everyone we hold dear.

That Chiori-cow obviously did not deserve a child like Megumi, she would have made her life a hell if you let her stay with her aunt.

You just showed me how passionate you could get, how big of a heart you have, how much you are a son of Luella and Martin Davis and a brother to Gene Davis for rescuing a little girl from her clutches. And I really am proud of you!"

His eyes are sparkling now with an emotion I can't capture with words but it makes me warm all over.

"Don't despair, you know we won't leave you alone, I won't leave you alone, don't you?"

He lets out a big breath and smiles at me and I could just melt down. Seriously, there seemed to be butterflies in my belly…

" You really want to help me?"

"Naru, I practically live at your side hours a day, not counting the hours I have to be at college. We just sleep at different homes, we eat together, we have the same friends- well almost the same ones-, we have the same outlook to life and there you sit and ask me "if" I would help you?"

He laughs then and I am surprised at the sound, Luella told me the last time they were here the last time she could remember Noll laughing would be the day before Gene went to Japan. He never laughed again and he always wore black.

I grin at him, proud at the fact I could bring him to laugh and he grins back. It is such a relieved feeling to see him laughing and smiling and grinning and not smirking and grouching like an old man.

"Alright then. How do we make a little psychometric girl happy? You are the expert."

Naru sobers up and I can practically see the gears in his head spinning, trying to come to a result.

.

When I come back to me Mai is there at my side and she is running her hand through my hair. I find myself revelling in that warm feeling, she is touching me without flinches and shudders and whatnot. She is there and trying to sooth my soul, telling me comforting words without the need to speak out.

I was not always the way I am now. There was a time when I was blubbering and singing and playing along with Gene.

My psychometry came before the PK, and I was somewhat growing comfortably into my psychometric abilities.

It was hard at the beginning, whenever I picked something our touched someone other than Gene I had those visions. I saw things I didn't know of, considering my age, I saw some pretty awful stuff, that happened a long time ago or happening right now to people around me.

And then came the time where my PK stirred and my father found out about the poltergeistering it caused. When we had to change all windows at our home and my mother had to be treated for her injuries, we sat down as a family and discussed the possibilities how to solve our problem.

The next day Lin came to our lives.

I guess now it is time to play Lin for another psychic kid with some awesome abilities.

Where Lin had help from my mother, father and Madoka, I hope of help from my family. The JSPR are a fine bunch and they always help each other when the need arouses, I am one of them, aren't I? I think they also consider me as a family, a grouchy one but family anyway.

I take a deep breath and look up. Mai is still there and she is looking at me with the kindest and warmest eyes on the earth.

"So, you will help me?" I can't help but ask. If you were me you would ask too, I caused Mai so much pain and heartbreak, I wouldn't be surprised if she wouldn't like to help me.

The speech she held after I asked the question is one of the most beautiful ones. Surely she doesn't know how she looks when she gets this intense look in her eyes, so enchanting and so awesome. She just rants about me, about that woman and psychic children but I get the whist of it, she would like to help.

She wants to be at my side while taking care of a child. I don't know if she understands the whole concept, which we would be like a family, but hey, I don't want to be the one who remembers her of that little fact.

Then it's time to think rationally, we have to think of so much. So much I could get from that Chiori, she had a shock when her parents died and her abilities rose with that shock. This means she hadn't had any time to get accustomed to her abilities. Every little thing she picks up comes with a vision, she probably tires very fast, and needs nutrients. She needs an area where people didn't touch everything and saturate everything with their emotions.

My apartment is out of question, she doesn't know me and I had many bad nights in there. I guess Mai's apartment is also out, everything she feels is so intense, her apartment would force me to psychometric visions let alone a child without any control over her powers.

So we have to find a place to stay over the night, the office may be somewhat comfortable for us, but a little child needs other things, so much I am trying to remember from my own childhood and how Martin and Luella would treat us.

While I am thinking Mai waits quietly at first, then she stands up goes to the kitchen and comes with some Orange-flower tea. That she can predict my need for different tea according to my moods has always astonished me, now it is so much appreciated I can't help but thank her.

I love the light blush in her cheeks.

.

Naru has my college block before him when I came back with our teacups. He is making a list I guess. I used to babysit for my neighbours to make a little pocket money but I never had a child overnight. If Naru really takes the little girl- I guess I need to say her name- Megumi, in I will stay with them for some nights. Naru might be almost all-knowing, but there are some things he couldn't do for little girls.

Then I am bombarded with images of Naru and me and Megumi sitting in the kitchen making breakfast, picnicking somewhere, walking in some park, holding hands with Megumi and I am startled of how much we might look like a family. If Naru is going to be a father, what would I be to Megumi? I can feel the amusement coming in waves from Gene. When I am awake he can not talk to me but I always get snippets of his moods. He is always around and looks out for Naru, like the older brother he is. He takes his job very seriously, I guess it is a family treat.

The Naru suddenly speaks up.

"Mai we need to discuss some things. Actually we need to discuss so many things but this night comes with a emergency situation."

I just nod. A little girl is not some little office issue. I think we even might have big discussion-round with all the SPR-irregulars and Naru's parents.

"All right Naru. You are truly the expert in Megumi's case. Tell me what to do."

He gives me another of his little smiles.

" We need a place preferably nobody has ever touched . so much I could gather from her aunt- I refuse to say her name with a suffix- she is in a psychometric shock. She had no time to get used to her abilities, so she has not even a little control over her powers. She might even be afraid of herself, she might get the emotions from her aunt and think of herself as a nuisance. We need to reassuring to her, whenever we need to touch her, we need to think of pleasurable things, joyful memories."

So much is clear, but I don't know where we might find a place nobody has touched at this hour opf the night.

"Ok, Naru. I understand somewhat we can't use our own apartments, but where do we find a place you suggested? I can't think of anywhere?"

He thinks for a moment and then his face lights up. He picks up his mobile phone from the couch table and makes a call. Who might be calling?

"Who are you calling? Naru? "

He just makes a "hush" gesture, waiting for the person on the line to pick up. And then pushes the button for the loudspeaker. After another ring a person picks up and I can't help but look up very surprised Naru would call him.

"What's up Big Boss? You have a case that late in the night?"

"Something like that Yasuhara. We need your help."

"We, as in…"

"We, as in me, Mai and someone else."

"Don't tell me you finally grew some and asked her to a date Boss?" Yasu laughs gleefully and I can't help but blush what I am sure is a really bad red.

"Yasuhara, Mai will get your head for that, you know she is actually at my side and can hear everything coming out of that mouth of yours?"

Even I can hear Yasuhara gulping down.

I didn't know Yasu was so afraid of me.

"Hey there Little Boss. I didn't know you were there. How are you doing?"

" Don't act so innocent Osamu Yasuhara. We will talk about this later when you come to office. But for now we need a place to stay over the night."

That came out so wrong! And of course my blush gets worse.

"Yasu stop your disturbingly loud thoughts, I can almost hear them."

Ever told you, sometimes I love Naru interrupting Yasu?

" We have a little girl with us, she has a psychometric shock and everything she might pick up comes with a vision. She need somewhere steril of human emotions. Do you know of any brand new hotels in the area so we could stay over night? "

" Boss, a hotel might a wrong place. We would have no control of who might be there before you getting that room. I might have better idea."

"A better idea? Tell us, Yasu?"

" Mai, you know my brother is getting married in a month? "

Naru is getting irritated, but I am interested in what Yasu might be thinking.

"Yes Yasu, you showed me their pictures of their engagement party, didn't you? "

"Exact. They are in the process of making a home. They have place picked up and slowly they are moving the new furniture in there. I was there today to help them to build a bed and some kitchen cabinets. And I have key to that place. What do you think?"

I look at Naru who is thinking about it and then nodding.

"That is perfect Yasu. And you are sure they wouldn't mind? I mean it is going to be their home, and we would be staying there even before them? "

"Sure Mai-chan. They gave me a key for a reason, you know?"

I can feel Yasu grinning silly even from the office.

"Stuff it you pervert."

"Yasuhara, tell us the address and meet us there. We will come as soon as possible but we might have to stop at a mall to get Megumi some things to wear. Do you know of any places we can shop at that hour? "

"If you hurry a little. There is a mall south to the office. Mai and I had had ıce-cream there. She knows that place. They should be opened till eleven at night. "

Naru stiffened a little. Might he be actually jealous?

"All right Yasuhara" Oh my God, he is. He voice is so cold while talking to Yasu.

"I remember that place Yasu. Wasn't it there where you had your ice all over Masako and she with the help of Ayako pummelled you for it?" That should placate Naru and it is true, we were there as a group because Madoka insisted and Naru throw them from the office for making too much noise.

Naru is normal again and I file that case of jealousy for consideration at a later point. We end that call after he promise us to wait at the apartments door with the key. I am sure Yasu is grinning somewhat maniacally right now, he uses all of us for his entertainment far too much.

But we need to get on. Naru tells me to wait for him a moment for he was going up his apartment and getting his stuff. Meanwhile I can get teacups in order and leave the kitchen ready for the morning and control my school bag. I really need that books for tomorrow, I have an appointment with my professor about my thesis. I can get the other book at the morning from the library, I hope.

Before I know it Naru is at the door. He has a- of course black- back pack with him. He goes to Lin's office and takes Megumi in his arms. He looks good with her. He even thought of a blanket for her, she didn't have any jacket and it is a little chilly. They look like a father and daughter, they have the same hair colour and Naru is holding her so securely, so lovingly...

.

I have Megumi in my arms.

I knew she was a little girl and also knew she was three, but I never even imagined holding someone so small in my arms. She is so warm, so cute. She breathes evenly at my neck and I feel strongly protective of her. She sighs and I am holding her a little more securely, wrapping my arms around her and holding her to my chest and feeling like I could protect her from all the evil in this world not just from her aunt and cold and prejudice of the people calling themselves normal.

While Mai is locking the office we wait for her at the door. She smiles at me and adjusts the blanket on Megumi and caresses her hair lovingly. At the stairs I tell her to be careful since it is Mai – whatever you say she is a little danger magnet- and it is night and we can't see clearly. She pouts her little adorable pout and I get the strong pull to kiss her.

She just doesn't know what she does to me.

We called a taxi to go to Yasuhara's place, I don't have a need for a car since a live a floor over the office and wherever we need to go for the cases there is Lin. But it is too far to go by walking and Megumi is still sleeping soundly.

We get in the car and the taxi driver smiles at us. He probably thinks we are a young family and my chest swells with happiness. It just might get true.

I tell him to drive us to the mall at first and turn to Mai.

" Mai, I will wait in the taxi with Megumi, but we need some things for her and you, to spend the night at Yasuhara's. Would you go and get them? "

She nods, so I go on.

" I know you have your own money, but just for tonight would you allow me to pay for everything that might come upon us?" The look on her face is somewhat furious instantly, I know she hates people pitying her, so I hurry,

" Mai, please. I might a be father tomorrow and I will take responsibility for her. Allow me to care for you and her tonight? "

"Naru, I told you I would help, and it also means sharing the expenses."

"I know Mai, but just for tonight? Please?"

I can see, with every "please" coming out from my mouth Mai's reluctance disappearing and smile inwardly. Finally she sighs and nods again. But I can clearly tell she is not entirely happy.

In front of the mall, we park in an open area for parking and before Mai gets out of the car I give her my wallet.

"Use as much as you need. If there is not enough cash you can use the debit card. The password is 4363. And Mai, please get something for you too? You know we don't have the time to stop at your apartment and you need some night wear and other stuff women use for getting ready to sleep? "

When I get a deep sigh from her, I know she also will get something for herself. But she can't help but throw the door a little harshly at my face. And I can't help but smile at my fiery Mai.

As I settle in the backseat with Megumi still in hold tightly, the taxi driver grins at me and speaks in a soft voice to not wake up the girl in my lap.

"You married a fiery one, didn't you? "

I am not about to say no, for I am hoping very much to marry her one day, so I just nod and grin. And believe me, it is enough.

.

I am furious but somewhat fluttered in a way too. Naru gives me money to go shop for his daughter- his would be daughter?-, it is confusing. it is what an employer might demand from his employee, but he also gave me his wallet full of his money AND his cards and other stuff showing me his trust.

I guess he also trusts me enough to care with him for Megumi. I feel warm in my chest and smile to myself. I need to be quick and don't let them wait for too long.

First Megumi, ah there are so cute clothes for girls her age. When I was a child there wasn't that much out there, was it? I see a hoodie with cute little bunnies on it and decide to buy it along with some sweaters and a skirt and a trouser, a nightgown and some socks. A headband and a jacket later I seem to have anything for her. It should be enough for two-three days.

Now what to buy for me?

I don't know where we have to stay for the night so maybe some sweatpants and a t-shirt?

Luckily I find the stuff I am looking for in the same store. I simply fall in love with a t-shirt and decide to buy it in the blue colour, Naru surely would love that, or not, but anyway I am getting it.

When I am at the pay-line I decide to look in the wallet for a debit card. We might need the money for the taxi. Of course Naru's card is on his own name, there stands boldly written Oliver Davis. I hope it makes no problems for him, praying for nobody recognising the name.

When it is my turn I give the card to the clerk he looks upon the card and smiles at me. It is obvious the card has a meaning for him. Maybe because it is pure black ?

" There Mrs. Davis, I hope everything was according to your wishes, do you need anything else? "

I am surprised at being spoken to like that. Mrs Davis has a nice sound to it, hasn't it? But I guess it couldn't be helped since I have Naru's card with me.

"Would you be able to point me to a apothecary? "

"Of course Mrs. When you step out of the store, turn to your right and walk for two minutes. You will see a small apothecary."

I thank him and leave the store. After getting some teeth brushes and teeth paste, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel I am all done and pleased with myself.

When I reach the taxi, I stop and look at the scene before me. Naru is still holding Megumi and he sways slightly like he was lulling her to sleep. He is protective of her even when he is holding her for half an hour. And that is the same man who was afraid of children? He is natural. He is good at everything he does I guess.

He might not need my help that much. And that thought is more disturbing, in its own way.

.

Mai gets in the car and beams at me. I don't know what I did to deserve such treatment but I want more of it.

"I am all done Naru, let's get to Yasu, the poor boy is probably waiting in the cold."

I simply nod and the taxi driver moves the car from the parking lot. We are mostly quiet even when Mai gave me my wallet back. She whispers at my ear telling she didn't use any money but just the debit card because we might need it for the taxi and meanwhile her breath tickles but it is a pleasant feeling having Mai that close to me.

When we reach our destination Yasuhara is really waiting outdoors and looking for us. His eyes grew larger when he spots the child in my arms. I guess he didn't really believe me when I told him about Megumi.

"Hey there Big Boss, Little Boss and…"

"Her name is Megumi Yasuhara and there is a real long story behind that all. But we are truly tired and if you would just show us where we might sleep, I promise I will personally tell you all about it."

He sighs but nods quickly. I think he saw Mai swaying a little while listening on our talk.

We went 2 stories higher and stop before a blue door.

Yasuhara grins lightly and tells us her sister-in-law loves that colour so we might get ready to see a lot more of that colour.

The stupidity of some people, really.

But the house is just what we need. Everything is so new and some of them are still packed.

"I am sorry guys but we were able to set only one bed in the bedroom so you need to share. Would that be a problem ?"

I turn to look at Mai, but she is almost sleeping standing.

"İt's ok Yasu, and thank you for helping us. It ıs greatly appreciated."

Yasuhara seemed to do people act that way when I am thanking?

But I don't dwell on it.

He moves to give us some bedsheets and cover and some pillows. I set Megumi down on some boxes and together with Yasuhara we managed to get everything set. Mai is sitting with Megumi but I think she is already asleep.

After we are done Yasuhara gives me the key and tells me he would get it tomorrow when he will be coming to the office.

At the last moment he couldn't help himself, as he winks at me and tells "Don't do anything I wouldn't do Big Boss.". I guess he wouldn't be Yasuhara if he would behave any other way.

I go to Mai and wake her. She is pretty with her hazed eyes but I need to move her to the bed so I give her the night clothes she picked for herself and walk her to the bedroom. She just nods at everything I tell to her, and I just hope she doesn't hurt herself while clothing herself.

Then I take a look at the clothes she picked for Megumi. I can't help but smile at the little bunnies, that is just like Mai to choose something like that. The little white nightgown is the right size for Megumi but it makes her more innocent and unguarded and stirs my instincts then I feel more protective of her.

I move her to the middle of the bed and lied her down. I remember the time after we moved in our house with Gene, Luella sat us down and taught us how to read. I loved to sit in the library and read and every night I would fall asleep there. I remembered being in the library and then in our room with Gene in the mornings. Then one night I woke up to the feeling of being moved. Martin was carefully holding me and gazing at me with a loving expression. I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered "Thank you, Daddy." He held me more tightly then and told me to go back to sleep.

It is one of my more tender moments with my Father, he is kind of like me, a more closed person than Luella and Gene, but I always knew he also loved us dearly, just in his own way.

We only have one cover so I need to wait for Mai to cover us. But meanwhile changing out of this clothes might be the right idea.

When Mai steps out of the bathroom, I almost laugh out loud. On the t-shirt she is wearing stands loud and clear " Don't panic and drink tea". And she looks precious in that. I go to her and escort her to the bed. The moment she placed her head on the pillow she is gone.

She probably will meet Gene tonight, my brother was a little more than curious when he was living, he is worse now.

I grazed with my eyes over their slender forms while they are sleeping and my heart swells with happiness.

I think Luella might have felt the same thing when we moved with them in our house. I remember one night, I woke up and she sat on the window bench watching us sleeping. She smiled gently at me and sang a lullaby. I remember to feel truly loved and secure in her arms.

I haven't told her that I love her for a long time. Maybe I should now, getting a child puts me in a similar situation and I can't help but feel love towards her, then she loved us and loves still unconditionally. But after Gene left, it just wasn't ever the right moment to tell her that and … I don't know but I think it is time.

At last…

I am sure my phone is somewhere in my pockets or is it in my backpack? Having Mai that close to me is really distracting when I have nobody- Lin- with me and I have to concentrate at a case. Even then when she has to sleep in the base it gets pretty bad. But right now it is just me and her and Megumi.

Where is the damn phone? Oh, here…

I am sure it will be a nice surprise for her, a good way to begin a day, since the time difference is about sixteen hours.

It rings and rings, come on Mother, pick up, pick up.

"Noll dear"

Her voice is on the edge and I notice right now it has been a time since the last time I called her, she probably thinks something bad had happened to me.

"Hello mother. How are you and father doing? I hope everything is well?"

"Noll, everything is all right dear. What about you? Has something happened? Why are you calling so late, or so early in the morning? Is something wrong with Madoka or Lin, or Mai?"

Does she includes Mai every time, I can't help but ask myself. But when I let a little chuckle she breathes in and relaxes a little.

"Everything is ok Mother, everyone is healthy too, well, to my knowledge. I just called to hear your voice, I missed you."

My mother is not used to hear nice things from me, when I hit the puberty and my PK acted so strong I had to gain control over my emotions and closed up to everyone excluding Gene. He could force his way into my mind anyway so there was no use in trying to block him. But it was a fate my mother could not escape from. So, she is probably more than astonished.

"Oh, Noll, I missed you too dear. Won't you come to England to see us. You know, you are entitled to holidays too, you need some time for yourself too."

That is my mother all right. She always worries about us. I am half a world apart from her and she still worries. She worried when I was five and she worries still. I guess when I hit forties she would also worry.

"Oh, mom, you are the best, you know that?"

"Noll?"

Megumi is moving in her sleep, she might have a nightmare. I should get to the point.

"Mom, I will call you tomorrow to talk more about something but I promise nothing bad happened to us. I … I just wanted to tell…"

Come on Noll, you are no coward, say it.

"Mommy, I wanted to tell you that I love you very much." I whispered.

I don't even remember when I last called her that. But in my heart she is my mommy, she is the woman who would hold me when I had nightmares, hugged me when I got something right and caressed my hair lovingly and singing lullabies to us.

She takes a deep breath and I hold mine, waiting for her response.

"I love you, too Noll. We love you, too." I can hear the tears in her voice.

"Talk to you later mommy, good night."

It is so un-like me, but Luella Davis deserves every bit of love words I can get out of my mouth and so much more.

It is with those memories when I lie beside Megumi and touch her face. My mother would do that to us when one of us had nightmares.

Her face is so small and even my hands are so much bigger. I lift my hand a little.

She sighs and moves her faces into my hand as if she was following my warmth. Then Mai lays her hand on her small belly and she is wrapped up lovingly with persons ready to love her under a blanket. That is the last thing I remember before my eyes get heavy and sleep claims me.

…

Thank you very much for the kind reviews and follows and favorites.

I am so happy to hear that my story is that much appreciated.

Be sure, your input is also appreciated and makes me happy beyond measure.


	4. Chapter 4

Luella Davis was 30 years old when she went the first time to America. She had married one of the most work-a-holic men out there three years ago and they were continuously working on his cases all around the world.

It wasn't that bad, then since Luella learnt of the fact that she couldn't have children of her own, she made it to her responsibility to escort her man everywhere. His cases proved themselves to be very interesting and she needed her attraction elsewhere.

She had always dreamed of a little family of her own, a family she hadn't had while growing up, a family where she could feel like she belonged, little children looking like herself and Martin, behaving like themselves and a house full of joy, a home.

But apparently she was not lucky enough.

She never thought that an illness she had when she was a child could destroy her dreams of family. When she first learned she wouldn't be able to conceive, she felt like rubbish for her inability to have children, inadequate and incompetent, like a liar for stringing Martin along her dreams of family and then not being able to have children because something was wrong with her. She remembered her request to have a divorce and how Martin had to beg and plead and implored her to stay at his side.

It made her feel warm all over to have Martin loving her that much. Bur she couldn't help but feel something was lacking in their lives. She tried everything, she had completed her doctorate in psychology in one year, she learned how to potter, she volunteered at orphanages to help children she couldn't have, but seemingly nothing helped. And so,she began to accompany her man on his cases.

Martin Davis was an expert on parapsychology, an expert renounced all over the world and his cases came from all over the world. Since she began to escort him on his cases they visited Bangkok, Munich, İstanbul, Casablanca and now they were in America.

While he and his team were building their base and equipment Luella decided to wander around the small district and walked the streets looking for some interesting things she could tell her husband.

It was then she saw the two little boys behind the iron fences laughing quietly and talking among themselves. She could only see their backs, but they seemed to be four or five.

"Some people are lucky like that" she thought. Two little children to bring joy to everyday life, two little children to make life a journey worth remembering. She stopped walking and began to watch what they would do.

One of them whispered something to the other one and they began to giggle. Their giggle magicked a smile on her face, too. She was watching them so intently that she didn't saw the small stone on the road and almost fell on her behind.

And then they both turned and looked at her.

One of them had an eyebrow raised and the other one somewhat interested. Luella thought she could melt down, they were so cute! Boys of Asiatic heritage but with blue eyes, one blue-grey the other one more cerulean, with chubby cheeks and little hands and black hair and same clothes, were looking her like she was disturbing their play time.

Luella smiled apolegetically and went on her way. But her mind stayed somewhat with those boys.

.

The day after her meeting the boys, she found herself walking the same route on the same time of the day. She had no idea if she would be able to find the boys playing in the garden behind the fence but she hoped it very much.

Even when she worked in all those orphanages she never felt that close to any of the children. But those little boys had her following some weird pattern of behaviour to find them again. She felt envy towards their parents, they had probably no idea how lucky they were, and there she was hoping for a little happiness with children belonging to other peoples.

She sighed, and looked around. Was she walking the same route? Would she be able to find them?

She turned around the corner and saw the iron fence. She had found the place. If the children were playing there?

Yes, they were! She felt happiness warming her all over, just because she would see them. She walked closer and looked a little more closely to the garden. There were more children playing in the garden. If that was a school? Maybe a pre-school?

This time she would talk to them, she told Martin about them but she couldn't even tell their names because she herself didn't know it.

The boys sat under the tree and were looking at a book. They both had a serious expression on their faces and it made them even cuter than yesterday. How was that possible at all?

"Hi"

The last time her voice had that shaky tone, she was on her first date with Martin. She wanted with all her being that those boys would like her.

They looked up and both smiled at her. Forgotten was the book and whatever made them look so serious.

They sprang to their feet and run to the fence.

"Hi" they spoke even at the same moment. With every second spent with them Luella fell more at ease.

" Who are you? " asked one of them.

"I am Luella. I am sorry for disturbing your play time yesterday like that. I hope I didn't scare you badly?"

They looked at each other and the one with the blue-grey eyes spoke to her.

"We would never be afraid of you. We are never alone, because we are brothers and protect each other."

"Oh, that's nice. Brothers should protect each other like that. Is that why you are not playing with the other children?"

"They don't like my brother and we don't like them."

He really was protective of his brother, she thought. The other one was still silent and content with his brother speaking for himself too.

"Well, it seems to me like it is their loss for not playing with you."

That brought another smile to their faces and even the silent one moved a little closer to the fence. He still had the book on his hands. Luella saw that it was a storybook for children but weren't they a little too young to read it themselves?

"Are you reading stories?" she asked.

They both shook their heads. And the silent one spoke for the first time.

"We don't know how to read, but my brother can tell me beautiful stories from the pictures. He is awesome!"

Oh, my, Luella thought. What a beautiful, innocent love between brothers. How very trusting and lovely and small they were. The blue-grey eyed boy blushed a little.

"EC stop telling that! You are smarter than me!"

"So your name is EC?" Luella asked. At least she knew the name of one child.

"Yes, I am AJ and my brother is EC." He told Luella with a strong voice.

"Well, I am glad to make your acquaintances then EC and AJ. I need to go now, but I hope we can see each other another time."

Luella gave them a little wave while parting her way and the boys waved back. But the smiles on their faces were somewhat saddened.

.

The third day of the case the team had a breakthrough, Madoka had managed to dig onto the archives and learned of the bloody history of the house they were investigating, none of the customers had seen the need to tell them before.

Martin was angry, rightfully so, because he had to endanger his team just because some people saw the need to lie to the paranormal investigators.

So after they had to discuss another plan to solve the case, she dragged him with her on her walk she was taking to see the boys. They were talking among themselves in a quiet voices and she loved the gentleness of his eyes, his voice and his hand holding her hand in a secure hold.

Her feet brought them to the same ironed fence and there were they again. But his time their little hands were on the fences and they seemed to be waiting for her. She felt warm all over again and somewhat complete?

"Hello AJ" a glance to the blue-grey-eyed boy and "Hello EC" and another one to the cerulean eyed boy.

"Hello Luella" they chimed. Oh that cuteness, she would miss them so dearly when the case was solved.

"Can you tell us apart Luella?" asked EC and at the same time AJ asked "Who is he?"

Luella smiled at them, and her hold on Martin's hand got stronger. But she got down on their level and Martin moved with her.

"Of course I can tell you apart. AJ has blue-grey eyes and EC has cerulean eyes. Could nobody tell you apart until now? What about your parents? And here I am proud to present you my husband Martin Davis. Martin they are the twin boys I told you so much about."

The three of them were looking at each other with some intense eyes. EC was the first one to smile and AJ followed him.

"We don't have parents, so I don't know if they would be able to tell us apart. But nobody at the orphanage can tell the difference." EC stated.

"You look like a nice man." AJ was still looking at Martin, and at their hands grasped securely. A sad look crossed his eyes for a moment and at the same time EC turned to him and hold his hand while whispering something in his ear. This seemed to cheer AJ up a little then he smiled again.

Meanwhile Luella was trying to understand how parents could leave such beautiful children at an orphanage. She could see that they were highly intelligent from the words they used. They couldn't be more than five years old and they were using words and behaviour appropriate for at least seven year olds.

And how they holding each other's hand and giving comfort to each other.

"So, this is an orphanage? Since when are you here? "Martin asked carefully, he could see that his wife hold those boys very dear and he didn't want to upset them.

"Yes, this is the Town-orphanage, and we were there for…" AJ seemed to be unsure and he turned to EC, but before he could ask him he answered the floating question.

"The carers wouldn't tell us, but I have heard them talking, we were left here almost four years ago."

If Luella, with some luck, ever would find the parents of those angels she would kill them.

EC was trying to be mature about it but she could see the sad look on AJ's face, it seemed to be upsetting him. So, she decided to change the topic and asked them about the book they had the last time.

But that again seemed to upset EC, then it seemed because they were too young, they weren't allowed to get the books from the library but EC wanted that book, so AJ could make up stories and he hoped to learn more letters of the alphabet and teach himself how to read.

He told all that in such a heavy voice that Martin couldn't help but smile a little. That kid would be a hell of a scholar one day; he tried to teach himself how to read for heaven's sake. That curiosity of his shouldn't be left alone. And the other boy seemed to ground both of them. Martin could understand why his wife would gravitate towards those boys and he couldn't help but fall a little himself, he told his wife that night.

And both of them went to sleep not so secretly hoping they could adopt the twins.

.

The other day on the case brought new facts to light. The house they were investigating was built on a holy ground for native Americans and to top of that beginning with the early 1800's every forty years some big murder case was to be found on the historical records. Martin had decided to call some native American Shamans to the case and that meant to stay longer in America.

While they were waiting for the Shamans to arrive at the case Martin decided to look on the situation with the twins and with Luella they went to the Orphanage.

It was a big place for a little town like they were staying and there were so many children at the halls. Some were teenagers and some were babies, they even saw a mischievous one crawling away from the carers. But the twins were nowhere to be found. While some young girl volunteered to look for the twins they were welcomed by the Head.

She was an old woman with kind eyes, but it was clear on the first glance that she was somewhat overwhelmed with that many children on hand. They had clearly not a sufficient amount of carers and even the most well thinking approach wouldn't be enough to that many children. Really it was surprising even to find an Orphanage, because America was a country where people had foster care for children needing attention. But seemingly it was a very old place, given for charity work from some rich family at the begin of 19th century and the building could only be used for orphanage or it would fall back on the family.

So, the town used it for the children.

When they asked about the twins her eyes twinkled, she was so happy about the chance for them to be adopted. She showed them their file which contained some pictures of them, for every year one and the one with their mother at their birth, their vaccinal and medical reports and the reports of carers written for every year. Their names were given by their mother and nobody had cared enough and looked if they were some abbreviations for real names, so they were called EC and AJ. Seemingly perfectly healthy boys ready to be adopted for any pair willing to be parents for them.

Luella and Martin nodded and they began the adoption process which would be tiresome. Really tiresome. You had to apply according to the laws for the adoption and had to complete the required training. Which would be easy for them because Luella was trained to work with children, she was a psychologist for Heaven's sake. But they had to wait for the background checks to be done and the case worker for the twins would inspect the house if they would be cared there appropriately. And then would the legalization process begin, but when the time came the twins would be already with them and hopefully they would be a family by then. Martin's family was wealthy enough and one of his cousins was a barrister so that wouldn't be also a problem.

So, were they hoping anyway.

When the young girl came back, they looked up from the brochures on their hands to see the twins, but they weren't with her. Apparently she couldn't find them, they were nowhere in the buildings.

Luella looked at her watch she saw that it was almost time for her to walk down the road and meet the twins by the fence. She knew where they were. She smiled to Martin and the Head of the Orphanage and excused themselves and left the room to meet (find) the boys. Soon to be her boys.

Oh, they were in for a surprise!

.

The boys were really at the fence, faces pressed on the fence with hands propping them up and looking for Luella and Martin. Luella was holding Martin's hand until then but left him standing behind and moved closer to them. She had a surprise for them but stopped dead when she heard one of them whimpering and wiping his cheek.

"They will come EC, don't cry, please" AJ tried to appease his twin brother but EC continued to cry. Luella wasn't sure what the issue was and why EC was crying but obviously them being not there was not helping.

EC shook his head and his tears were flowing now. And every tear caused Luella's heart to pain a little more but she just couldn't move.

"No, they won't come!" His little stubborn head was already made and he was obviously upset about something else, too.

"And when they would come, they wouldn't love me AJ, you know I am a freak, the children don't like me, our mother didn't like me, and the carers don't like me, too. They would hate me and call me a freak and a demon child and I don't want to be left behind but you deserve a family. I don't deserve you, I don't deserve them, I am a freak AJ, but please don't leave me, please?"

Luella didn't know until then that someone so little could move a heart that much. But she fell in love with them more, then meanwhile AJ moved closer to his brother and hugged him tightly and began to cry with him. They didn't speak anymore but it seemed to help then EC calmed a little and they moved back to the fence and began looking for Luella and Martin, again.

It was that moment Luella decided to speak up.

"Why are they calling you that EC?"

EC and AJ flinched and turned to her. When she saw their red swollen eyes, ready to begin to cry again, she regretted her question, but it had to be done. If someone had upset her babies, oh my God, she had already began to call them HER babies, she knew what to do about it.

EC shook his head and moved back as if he was afraid of Luella and Martin, he was crying again. He was murmuring to himself and sobbing quietly.

"You won't like me anymore if I tell you." He answered at least.

"Why would we not like you EC, come to me and explain what had upset you that much?" Luella was trying to console EC but the more she was soft the more upset he got.

"You will hear it anyway, I am a freak, a demon. Nobody likes me but my brother and you will take my brother with you and then I will be all alone in the whole world!" he cried out.

"Oh baby, I won't hate you, why won't you come near and tell me what is wrong?" Luella tried to move closer but EC got more panicked as soon as she moved. But then Martin was there.

"EC, you don't want to touch us?"

Martin was talking with a calm voice and his exterior was also calm. Luella wasn't sure what was going on but Martin seemed as he had figured out what was wrong with EC.

EC nodded his head. And Martin proceeded to talk with the same calm voice.

"Is that because you see something when you touch people?"

EC's eyes got bigger and he blinked at Martin. Then he nodded again, but he was still not sure how Martin could know about his freakishness.

"EC, there is nothing wrong with you, and you are surely no freak and not a demon. Did you know I know other people just like you?"

EC came closer to Martin but he was still suspicious of all that what was happening. Luella was watching with her heart at her throat. Her hands were all sweaty, but she first noticed it when AJ grabbed her hand.

"You mean there are other people like me? And you are sure I am no freak?"

"Absolutely. You just have an ability that other people have some problems accepting it. But if you want to I can introduce you to a young man with similar abilities to yours?"

"Really?"

EC's voice had gained an unbelieving but slightly trusting tone. And he was moving closer.

"Did you know that when I concentrate on something really much, you can see what I want you to see?"

"What does concentrate mean?"

"İt means I think of something really much, focus on it. Do you want to know what I can show you?"

EC was at Martin's side by then. His curious nature was winning over his untrusting side. So he nodded again and asked Martin for his hand. But Martin shook his head and, suddenly, he gathered him in his arms and was hugging him tightly. EC stilled and tensed at first but then he got a slightly glazed look in his eyes.

Luella and AJ were watching them silently, afraid to make a noise and disturb Martin by calming EC and consoling him as if he were a professional. Well, if Luella was right and EC had a paranormal ability Martin was really the expert.

When EC came to himself, he asked in a quiet voice,

"Where is that place?"

"It is our home. "

"Your home?"

"No, 'our' home, if you want to."

"You want me, too? You want us both?"

"That place is much too big for only one boy, don't you think so?" Martin smiled and this time EC accompanied him. His tears were flowing again but he had such a beautiful smile on his face that you could believe he was an angel. His eyes smiled with him this time and Luella felt the contentedness coming over them. AJ was still grabbing her hand; she also took him in her arms. Martin and EC came to stand by them and they sat under the tree Luella first saw them playing.

"Dou you want to come with us to England?"

"Is that another town?" AJ asked innocently.

"No dear, it is another country, it is a far away place, you fly over the ocean to go to England and then we will drive to London, where our home will be. "

"And you won't part us? I will be the most naughty boy if you take my brother from me." AJ bravely stated and Luella's heart melted again.

"We want both of you. But it will take some time to adopt you and take you with us. Will you be brave for us and wait a little more in the orphanage?"

"And when the time is over you will be our parents?" AJ seemed to warm up to the idea and Luella was glad to see that, then he was the older one and seemed to give the tone.

"If you want to."

"How do we call you then? Martin and Luella?"

"You can call us by our names, or you tell mother and father to us, whatever you want?"

AJ and EC looked at each other and smiled and tilted their heads while looking at Luella and Martin.

"So you will be our dad and show us that home you showed me for real?" EC clarified.

Martin nodded, Luella was sure he was close to tearing himself. The twins were so sweet, that she could just eat them up.

And then they turned to Luella and AJ asked ,as if to clarify things.

"We can call you whatever we want to?"

She nodded and waited for their response. As soon as she heard it, Luella Davis had another role prior to all others in her life.

"Momma?"

"Mommy?"

Luella Davis was EC's mommy and AJ's momma. And the fact couldn't be changed whatever might happen because their hearts were the first ones to accept it.

.

Years later, Luella sat down on the settee in her living room and cried for her son that called her his "mommy" again after so many years and for her other son who would never be able to call her his "momma". Martin Davis found his wife crying quietly and holding a picture of the twins they had taken when they came from America, eyes glowing with happiness.

.

WOW, you people are amazing! I have so many reviews and favorites and follows! :) I am so happy you like my story, but at the prior chapter so many people were somewhat sceptic for Noll calling Luella "momy". So I wanted to share this almost side story, how that came to be. I am writing the chapter about Noll, Mai and Megumi,too, but it will take some time. I have my exams coming up and need to learn for them.

see you then, and don't forget to leave some reviews for me ;)


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